Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-05-15
pOSTOFFICE ROBBERS.
.,,pvSrTyG VIEW OF THE NEW YORK
N POSTOFPlCB.
r,3.r a Rof-How It's 1000 Employees are
A"' V,g,yd-Rlsring Prom the Mails
Detectives "reminiscences.
(RcwyJ dHc&)

-wnwFflEAAAN
p.,or interest to all visitors to the lower
n,rt of Broadway
the time Mr. Pearson, the pres
~stmaster, inst entered the office as
q" superintendent the service in
New York Office eommene-
10 improve and being
,e3 nv his chief, Nh. James, he un
1t many grave irregularities, 1t IS
,,r,,v due to his untiring eNertions that
to-day ranks the highest and gives
n,,r,ns BY far the best service of any
.,,F,e in the United States,
,,, enter the pOstofice building from
cont YOU find yourself in the lobby,
-,rrbf,re extending from the Broad
MI ,roupd the front to Park low.
WY aTmeit was n great field for the pick
49, and the confidence man. This lat
P%H,1,ss would meet the unwary visitor from
h, rrr,l districts, and, first tOelng an ac-
'',,,s i'm some mysterious way, would
P"--t the cOuntryman in some scheme.
lG.' themes would all end alike; the
h-,w ont of town, in his eagernesS 10
N u.s. ,Te,t sum OF money on q small IN
''..,nt would invariably he swindied
'1aT,I his ready money, and II he left
v"' ns,-mode friend with clothes enough
.,tr himself preSentahle ON the street
~ Ill M. extremely fortunate.
TIC ISL detective l.. A. Newcome was
u,,,ntrd bv POstmaSter-General JameSaS
'~Pi,,ffrr Inspector in charge of the New
~ ,Tyisiou. and one OF his first acts WAS
~ ,bs l,hhv of this class of raScalS. As
..,,Is who had been detrauded refused
. complaints for fear their friends ut
80. ,ould learn through the press that
H.. hal been - easily duped, none OF the
~.EIsr,. operators were ever arrested.
w., .. ,nr ar more occasions being seen m
-. ,IL they were ordered ont, and not
,GayiDs immediately they were elected'
Afr Newcomers great criminal acqualnt-
s.ryrl HIM in this particular, II
-. men soon learning how they would
w. It'd n discovered in the lobby, hnal'
Iy disappeared.
\, view of the interior OF the pOStOhee
,. ,brained from the lobby, and NJ -
nsrasslry To procure 4 permit from the
~--,m,.isr before YOU are allowed 70 enter.
r. Nm York pOStOtice Is the largest IN
rms United States, and Is by tar the best
Mated You stand IN the gallery IN the
l1.~,l office overlooking the clerks dis
-.,brr.Y, letters. the lrtter-CarrlerS aSSOrt-
mo and setting up their mail preparatory
LIN, ont ON their route, al 80 intent
nm their various duties that they do not
.r.n ,tap Ia look 1t the stranger as he
pa.s,. between the long letter cases. Inen
- tra .,unI of a bell the letter-carriers
farm IN line and marching 10 the rear Of
rhr distributing eases take the letters that
have been placed thereupOn by the
r4rss who are continually dlStrhu-
,r., the mail ~ IL IL brought
q, Them from the stamping table
.y the messengers. The carriers then re
f.. to their desk. and are Obliged To have
fna mail lust procured all arranged 50 that
when tine suruad bell ungS, tcu tdlnuteS
Infer they will leave the office to go On
their routes. Their places ut the desk are
immediately filled by the relief carriers,
+ao have 20 90 through the same form,
tuG be- ready To leave the office n soon ~
rHr.r time is mp. But this - only the city
delivery department.
un the Broadway side of the office Is an
armg of clerks distributing mail matter,
lud tine continual thump 0i the hand
s.tmp. 20, It Is used by different men re-
mgud, one ot a factory.
Ua the floor below. twenty feet under
BIZ 5000. -. a.. .,.L. .rrafaVN-
attic way ct doing business. Very little
inst elias, mail IS handled there; it is nearly
all second. third and fourth class matter;
ami .u this basement Is the repair shop,
varr. all the pouches that have become
torn arr repaired or condemned. And
then yuu will find q regular printing OF
l,r. where q weekly paper ~ printed
AMI distributed among the employee, NV,
ug information ON certain points, notice OI
transfers, discharges, etc.
The registry department Is on the see.
oaI ..por. 10 has been estimated that TIM
department. handles on an average IN value
moa. lu one day than three Of our largest
banks.
Detective E.. 4. N-wcome, late Inspector
of ,u- New York PoStotice, being pueS
ruam. by tine writer rs To the integrity q
l. sl-' force Of employees, SaIu.
.lut hr general poStolirr andit hranche'
There rr. over 1000 employees. Some o
these men have been in the service a grea'
mIn- wears. but most Of them are new
m-a admitted under the civil service law
While under this rule n great many
-U1I men have been obtained for the pOsta
service. still there is IN opening through
which interruptions men can gain admit
lance. About two years ago q tougI
character passed the civil service eNamlna
ton aud received his appointment. Hl
$50. detailed To the register letter depart
nru,. lie had been in the service ON,
aIHst % week when, IN u saloon on NaTlci
street. me was overheard by on
OF. m. mem to say that he only went int,
r.r gp,.ofice tO steal, and he had got int
OH. ugr-rgrrd letter department, wher
~mur Ray he would astOnlsh the boys b,
mI-.n.u big haul. 10 il perhaps needles
"a" ..r'r that after llhad reported this I
postmaster the young man was immedl
aa.s discharged. IL was then learned
'ulr Doc. was am ~cN-rOnyict, and IN
-..r n.ru arrested for burglary, and /
a1a serving his time. My experience teach
o., m- that the majority Of pOStoilice EN-
p'rra- are strictly honest, hut OnCe nm
a...r ahIarkShccp will stray into the lOc
laa -rmrtimrS before ne Is detected h
mty Iuu great deal ct harm. In October
.~-.. . received information from MI
lru-.u that complaints had bee
uuir ru him that several bankln
an.-- were receiving registered letter
,0a-..rug only q portion OF the Orlglna
t.lau.,, of money said to he inclosed. \
u..-r.ltlon developed the fact that
'...a m the department was spending
ggr,l iytI of money. ] had him watche
"r.. 300 rhy office. hut could get no cy
"u.r against him. lie trlcgraphed
'.r u..rr one morning that he WAS /
u.l COULD not come over. AS 500
81 THIS wl~ reported 10 me | proceede
".rr lU brooklyn 10 where this young ma
l~ui.I lie was not at home. | learne
I."u the servant girl that he had gone I
'..r with the Young lady he was engage
l. |rtrr a long search I discovered wher
h- laut bis team and learned from the ma
".D s,rt the livery stable that he Sper
r'ur ,rH per month for carriage hire. This
u-N' when the young man returned frOI
DIS ..r.... Yrr.afgl him, md ha ppT